MANDI, Oct 18:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today likened the Army’s anti-terror surgical strikes to Israel’s exploits and said the Indian forces have shown they are no less than anybody.
“Our Army’s valour is being discussed across the country these days. We used to hear earlier that Israel has done this. The nation has seen that Indian army is no less than anybody,” he said.
Israel is known for its targeted military strikes against enemy countries and militant outfits.
Modi was speaking at a rally in Himachal Pradesh where he inaugurated three hydro-power projects.
The issue of surgical strikes has snowballed into a political row with the opposition accusing the BJP and its Government of “milking” it for political benefits. The charge has been rejected by BJP which has insisted that it is taking the issue to the masses to boost the Army’s morale and highlight the strong political will of the Prime Minister.
Underscoring his commitment to the welfare of armed forces, Modi today said his Government had fulfilled its promise of ‘One-Rank, One-Pension’ for ex-servicemen, an issue which he said had been hanging fire for over 40 years.
Previous Governments, he said, duped the people by making tall claims and some of them even allocated Rs 200 crore-500 crore in this regard but never did an analysis of cost burden and how it could be executed.
“I did it and was puzzled to find that the economic burden kept rising. It worked to be more than Rs 10,000 crore,” he said, adding that it was difficult for any Government to make such a big allocation in one go.
Modi said he spoke to armed forces and offered to release the money in four installments to which they agreed.
“Over Rs 5,500 crore in first installment has been given. The rest will be too. A promise hanging fire for the last 40 years has been fulfilled,” he said.
At the ‘Parivartan Rally’, Modi also targeted Virbhadra Singh, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh where elections are due late next year, saying BJP Chief Ministers dedicated themselves to causes like drinking water and roads while the Congress leader was concerned about his own welfare.
“Do I need to explain what the current Chief Minister is known for?”, he said and then added, “When BJP gave Chief Ministers, somebody dedicated himself to water, somebody to roads but when others came they dedicated so many things for their personal welfare,” he said.
BJP has accused Singh of being involved in corruption but the Congress leader has rejected the charges and claimed that he was a victim of “political vendetta”.
People will demand that Virbhadra Singh Government give an account of its work, Modi said, noting that the State was getting Rs 72,000 crore following the implementation of the 16th Finance Commission report instead of Rs 21,000 crore allocated earlier.
Modi said BJP leaders were asking him to seek an account of the money sent to the State Government. “Not only us, the people of Himachal Pradesh will demand an answer (from Singh).”
The Prime Minister recalled his old association with the hill State, which was under his charge as the then BJP General Secretary, and noted that the projects he was inaugurating were founded by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“I was also present as the organisation’s in-charge and who would have thought that I will get the opportunity to inaugurate them,” he said.
A large numbers of people from Himachal were working in the armed forces, the Prime Minister said and hailed the state as the land of valiant people and stressed that similar respect should be accorded to ex-servicemen as to the serving soldiers.
His government, he said, had begun executing projects stalled for decades and said wryly that he had never thought that he, as Prime Minister, would have to run in the PMO an “archaeology department” that would have to dug up “skeletons” of very old projects which never took off after their foundation stones were laid.
With New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal in attendance, he said households in the State will collectively save almost Rs one crore daily with the use of LEDs and noted that the project could be executed more quickly.
Meanwhile, rejecting criticism that it failed to secure a reference to cross-border terrorism in the BRICS declaration, Government today said the Summit recognised that there was no bigger global challenge than state-sponsored and state-protected terrorism and that it cannot be “business as usual” on this front.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the threat of terror “featured strongly” in the narrative of the recently concluded Summit in Goa and there was recognition that the international community can only ignore it at its peril.
In clear reference to Pakistan, Swaraj said there is a need to extract costs from those who sponsor, support and provide sanctuary to terror networks besides continuing to make “false distinction” between “good and bad terrorists”.
In a veiled comparison to stark contrast between BIMSTEC countries and Pakistan, Swaraj said the regional bloc today represents the “polar opposite” of a terrorism promoting polity.
Swaraj used the strong words during her an address at the BRICS media forum here.
“There is a developing consensus that it cannot be business as usual. We must be prepared to extract costs for those who sponsor and support terrorists, who provide them sanctuary, and who, despite their own claimed victimhood, continue to make the false distinction between good and bad terrorists.
“BRICS has always been global in its approach and today, there is no bigger global challenge than state-sponsored and state-protected terrorism,” she said.
In an obvious reference to Pakistan blocking several pacts on transport and connectivity in SAARC, Swaraj indicated that India would work closely with the regional grouping of BIMSTEC — Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation — whose members include Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.
“There cannot be a greater contrast with those who reject even trade and connectivity for political reasons,” she said. In last SAARC summit in Kathmandu, Pakistan had stalled signing of a key transportation pact which was strongly pushed by India.
On deliberations at the BRICS, Swaraj said there was a sharp realisation that global development and prosperity was very much dependent on continued peace and security.
“Terrorism was universally recognised as a key threat to stability, progress and development. Consequently, it featured strongly in the conference narrative and its eventual outcome.
“Indeed, what we saw was not just an understanding of the dangers posed by terrorism to the economic aspirations of the world but a growing recognition that this has now become a truly global challenge that the international community can only ignore at its peril,” she said.
There was criticism after consensus eluded on reference to cross-border terror in BRICS declaration with opposition Congress calling it an “abject failure” of Modi Government.
Without naming any country, Swaraj said there has always been an overarching political context for the BRICS meetings which essentially underlines that a serious global discourse cannot be the “preserve” of a few countries with a “narrow agenda”.
“We have always looked upon BRICS as a template for a new approach to global governance in the 21st century. The five nations represent the voice of the changing world and our approach to global issues signifies a convergence across different continents on the opportunities and challenges that await us,” she said.
On India’s chairmanship of BRICS, Swaraj said, “We took the BRICS outside the conference room and endeavoured to instill it in popular thinking.”
“In Goa we have strengthened the institutional foundation of the BRICS and set it on the path of seeking collective solutions which will not only help propel the BRICS nations forward but also be a voice of hope, peace and prosperity for the entire world,” Swaraj said.
Talking about major initiatives by BRICS, she said the Summit represented a further advancement in terms of the breadth and focus of its discussions, adding the grouping has evolved over the years.
“Initially, its deliberations concentrated more on economic and financial issues. But over the years, it has broadened to cover larger global issues, even as it has promoted the creation of BRICS institutions and mechanisms.
“Key initiatives like a BRICS Rating Agency that can complement the New Development Bank, or the Railways Research Network and an Agriculture Research Platform that will allow us to leverage our specific strengths for mutual benefit are tangible goals that we believe can take the group forward,” she said. (PTI)
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